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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources Advisory Board - Minutes - 08/02/2000MINUTES CITY OF FORT COLLINS NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING 281 N. COLLEGE August 2, 2000 For Reference: Randy Fischer, NRAB Chair - 491-6303 Bill Bertschy, Council Liaison - 484-0181 Tom Shoemaker, Staff Liaison - 221-6263 Board Members Present Randy Fischer, Kelly Ohlson, Reagan Waskom, Bill Miller, Nate Donovan Board Members Absent Jan Rastall, Don Rodriguez, Phil Murphy Staff Present Natural Resources Dent: Mark Sears, Terry Klahn, Sarah Fox, Susie Gordon Guests Sally Craig, Planning and Zoning Board Lance Freeman, Parks & Recreation Board Paul Hudnut, Parks & Recreation Board Linda Knowlton Agenda Review No changes. Trails Sub -committee, Lance Freeman Freeman said the concept of a joint Trails Committee has been kicked around for six or seven months. This is an area where these two boards appear to have similar viewpoints. The boards would benefit from hearing each others points of view, and from the process of the two boards working closer and understanding each others points of view. It's important the two boards work together. The Parks and Natural Areas are where the trails are. There are different types of trails with different uses. • Waksom: Does P&R have a trails committee? No committee per say that deals with trails. • Donovan: Is there a point staff person for the coordination and communication between the two departments? This should be an evolutionary process. • Fischer: Typically we get with Craig Foreman and give him our input. My understanding is you'll have two representatives on our committee. Natural Resources r._eisory Board August 2, 2000 Page 2 • Sears: It would be Jim Miller and Craig Foreman. The committee is a relaxed meeting, it doesn't need to be formal. • Ohlson: What's Jim Miller's background? He's in charge of constructing all trails in natural areas and he has a degree in wildlife biology. • Ohlson: What is meant by balancing the public use of trails with the sensitivity of natural areas? How trails are used in natural areas, as well as placement. Our board doesn't know the viewpoints of your board as well as we should. This would be a good opportunity to leant those sensitivities. • Hudnut: Trails have fallen into two categories, super highway bike paths, and foot paths. The issue of illegal trails has been a problem. The more we work together the better the balance will be. There is pressure from recreational users. In a natural area like Pineridge how can they co -exist better? • Ohlson: I welcome this, it'll be better all the way around. Historically the City has erred dramatically on the side of recreation. Are there any examples in the past three or four years where you think we erred on the side of the natural environment? • Hudnut: I've wondered about the choices that were made when trails were closed at Pineridge earlier this year. • Ohlson: So the process could have been tweaked, but the end result doesn't trouble you? • Hudnut: No, I don't think so. If trails are designed properly they can have a much lower impact on the environment. • Fischer: A lot of what you're saying bolsters what we've been saying. • Hudnut: The trails will go in, the question is whether the trails are well designed. That's something we'll have to plan. • Ohlson: They just don't have to be the interstate highway system. There's an obsession in the City, broader than P&R, to connect all natural areas with trails. The natural areas will have trails, it's what kind and how they will be connected that's an issue. • Hudnut: Part of it is a land management technique. There are some areas where people don't want mountain bikes. We want to make sure that trail access isn't lost because of the misdeeds of a few. • Ohlson: I don't know of a movement to close trails. There shouldn't be too many Pineridge situations. • Hudnut: There is a tension between trail areas, different uses for different areas. • Miller: Latimer County and Jeffco have gone to a system of signage of who yields to whom, that's an issue we need to look at. We need to be sensitive while trying to accommodate our desires. • Hudnut: What we taxed ourselves on seems to be an issue. When we talk about natural areas, recreation will get mentioned. There are areas where it should be totally wildlife and there shouldn't be trails. I think it goes to what is the sustainable level of trails, how much traffic. • Ohlson: I actually want access, with appropriate parking and trails, in almost all cases to natural areas. Natural Resourceadvisory Board . August 2, 2000 Page 3 • Fischer: We need to make a commitment to setting up a trails committee meeting in the near future. • Hudnut: There is a big budget for trails. The question is when you're done spending the money what do you have. • Freeman: As we look at trails in parks maybe we can learn from you the sensitivity aspect of trail location, and maybe you can understand how we look at things too. • Hudnut: Let's figure out how to get in front of this issue. In the past P&R has been focused on organized sports. We're trying to get more emphasis on hiking and biking, and other less organized recreation. • Miller: We need to the address the needs of the community at large instead of a segment. Election of Officers Chairman: Nate Donovan nominated Randy Fischer for Chairman. Reagan Waskom seconded the nomination. Randy Fischer was unanimously elected chairman Vice -chair: Bill Miller nominated Nate Donovan as vice -chair. Reagan Waksom seconded the nomination. Nate Donovan was unanimously elected vice-chairman. Fischer noted that due to business travel he will be unable to attend the September and November NRAB meetings. Update on Climate Wise Pilot Project, Sarah Fox Fox provided background and a brief update on the project. It started from the Local Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions which was passed in January, 1999. The recommendation from the Action Plan was for the City to work with businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as reduce vehicle dependence. A small grant, $25,000, was received from ICLIE. The purpose of the grant was to recruit businesses to join Climate Wise. Climate Wise started in 1994 with the purpose of encouraging industrial business to voluntarily improve energy efficiency and reduce waste. The results are good for the environment and also increases profits. Our program requires participating businesses to develop an action plan, through dependence assessments, as well as provide yearly reporting. Sixteen companies have been recruited. Assessments will be conducted, written recommendations provided, with final action plans done by November.. Discussion • Waksom: Has the City organization gone through this process? We can't join. We will do a municipal program, Lucinda (Smith) will be reporting on it. • Ohlson: What controls do you have to make them do something that positively impacts the planet? They have to reduce green house gas emissions. • Ohlson: Will you be careful to give appropriate credit for different categories to those going above and beyond? I'm thinking of advertising companies separately and provide each company with a decal for their door. Pretend Holnam's national people Natural Resources j�w.risory Board August 2, 2000 Page 4 don't buy in, but New.Belgium does really well. Will Holnam get the same sticker and press release? You've got to work for the fairness issue, or the program will be invalidated. • Donovan: After the action plans are done, is there any continuing process? We're hoping there will be a continuing process. It's confusing at the EPA right now, every couple years they redo their programs. From the City's perspective it's been going really well. • Miller: A company like Holman may have a tough time reducing the emissions they currently create. If they can reduce emissions through a reduction in power, would that be counted? • Gordon: There is the ability to change the standards for cement, CO2 is one of the ingredients. That's what they'd like to see. • Miller: If the amount of product from a company goes up, is that taken into account? I believe our software takes that into account. We could do advertising based on a company reducing so much. • Donovan: That measure would get lost in the mix. The measure that would be significant would be at the recognition point. • Ohlson: There's enough corporate green-scamming. There needs to be credit where credit is due. It's not one size fits all. It's not hard to do if you have measurable results. •. Waskom: Are you only tracking CO2? Yes. • Fox: The Post Office is mostly interested in transportation. They want alternative fuels vehicles. They also want their routes looked at to see if they're as efficient as possible. They're looking at doing downtown deliveries on bikes, and electric bikes. The school district is interested in every school and administrative building. Fox said she would like to return in October or November and update the board on the program with some actual results. • Gordon: There is a growing conviction that this is a way to do a lot of our work, business outreach, and it's voluntary. This has represented a team effort. We've suggested something that could be permanently staffed, so there would be life beyond the EPA grant. • Miller: Would one full time dedicated FFE be able to accomplish this? • Craig: Should look at the September 6 meeting for a letter and recommendation. Schaaf Conservation Easement, Mark Sears Sears said the Schaaf's have put their property up for sale. He would like to continue the discussion on this. As with any conservation easement if the land is sold, the easement is still in tact and must be adhered to. The 38 acre parcel would be difficult and expensive to maintain. If we don't get an easement on their 34 acres we risk that someday that land could be developed. Natural Resourcc#dvisory Board • August 2, 2000 Page 5 Discussion • Miller: Would that be a feasible site for the natural resources maintenance repair facility, as opposed to the Nix farm? We're currently looking at five other sites. It's all the way on the east end of our operation and we'd be in the flood plain. • Fischer: There are fairly stringent requirements in the easement agreement and stewardship plan. Does the City have the will to monitor and enforce it the way we want to see it? It may take as much time to enforce the easement as to manage it. • Ohlson: The number of horses they want to graze there is very high compared to the number that should be grazed there. The horses are hayed and grained everyday. Their impact on the pasture is offset by the amount of feed. • Olson: Even with supplemental feeding I'm against the City partnering in a non - sustainable grazing practice. It needs to be a model. As far as the sale portion of the plan, I'm at 100% "no". We could research and beef -up the stewardship plan. They're as interested in sustainable pasture operations as we are. If their pastures are degraded, they have to offset with additional purchases of hay. • Ohlson: It's a myth that farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of the land. • Sears: Another approach is to put this on the shelf for a while. If they sell to someone who is interested in proceeding with this route, then we could do more research. As far as how good will we be at policing and monitoring we have to look at how good we are going to be maintaining the property if we maintain ownership. It could be ten years before we ever touch that property. • Donovan: Are we stretching the main function of the department in terms of monitoring a grazing operation. • Ohlson: We need to end up with something that is going to be real and measurable. • Waskom: It's not just grazing. They're riding too, and impacting nesting birds. • Miller: This land could be much more valuable years down the road. The idea is to protect it from future development. Edits — Page 3 Ohlson: It says only herbicides with a wetland or aquatic label will be used within 100' of wetlands. I'd like to suggest we leave it at no pesticides or fertilizers used within 100' of a wetland. Ohlson: Russian Olive trees must be removed. Ohlson: At some point we need to have a discussion about what constitutes a permanent easement and what it takes for one to be undone. It's called extinguishment. Each party shall notify the other of when it learns of such circumstances. It would have to go to court. Fischer: If they can't afford to keep the conservation easement what is our standing in court? How defensible of a position are we in? Review of Minutes June 21: The minutes of the June 21, 2000 NRAB meeting we unanimously approved with following amendments: Natural Resources t. Asory Board August 2, 2000 Page 6 Page 6, next to last bullet: Change to "The chances to improve the habitat are improved considerably". Page 8, next to last bullet: Change to: "The parks are for all of the community. Plans shouldn't be based only on what the neighbors want, there are community values to be considered". Mark Sears will clarify with Marty Heffernan what the procedure for the management plans will be? Fischer: We've been trying to get plugged into the Lee Martinez Park. Will there be a committee comprised of a member from this board? Basically they feel there are no issues between P&R and us, and don't feel there is a need to form a committee. Ohlson: It needs to be put in writing, future policy makers can change it. Their intent is to put it in writing. We're comfortable with that they're proposing. 1 don't think there needs to be a full blown committee. This board had an opportunity to take the field walk. You'll be pleasantly surprised The plan will be presented in September or October for NRAB review. July 5: The minutes of the July 5, 2000 NRAB meeting were unanimously approved with the following amendments: Page 6, 9 s bullet: change to; "We don't want to create developable land by filling in the flood plain. Page 6, 10`h bullet: change to; ...following the Civic Center Master Plan.... Page 7, 0 bullet: change to; "They have some legitimate complaints." Committee Reports • A Trails Committee meeting needs to be scheduled. • The meeting on July 19a' had a work session format. Attending were Tom Shoemaker, Randy Fischer, Kelly Ohlson, Reagan Waskom and Nate Donovan. A wide variety of issues were discussed. It was suggested these meetings become Futures Committee meetings. Need to determine who wants to be a part of the committee. The feeling is the futures committee should try to meet every other month for the first year. Tom Shoemaker is in the process of summarizing his notes from that meeting. Announcements Ohlson: The board needs to get feedback on their memos and suggestions. Review Council 6-month Planning Calendar • Budget discussions beginning in late September. Review Action/Tickler Log • Waskom: The budget is the real stuff. • Donovan: Is the department to the point where there is something we could look at? Any priorities for funding? + Natural Resourcadvisory Board August 2, 2000 Page 7 • Ohlson: Even if it's'a work session we could give direction and the chair could write a memo. • Fischer: Would like to have a discussion of staff's budget recommendations. I'll put thoughts on paper and bring them to the board for approval in September. Review Future Agenda Items Aguust 16: Work Session — Budget Exception Process September 6: Growth initiative Climate Wise FIE The meeting adjourned to Executive Session at 9:00 p.m.